Methods and Systems for Managing Automated Identification Technologies Information

1. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to: generate a gateway for at least one of read and write access to deployed identification sensors and tags associated with a set of assets, the sensors and tags incorporating a plurality of disparate native solution formats; provide data storage and management with hierarchical functionality in a common data format for information passing through the generated gateway, the information related to the assets as provided by the deployed identification sensors and tags; execute a service framework for data delivery to and from the deployed sensors and tags via a publish and subscribe middleware service layer that provides access to the gateway through a common middleware interface; and provide a user interface through which commands to the common middleware interface are generated.

2. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 wherein the deployed sensors and tags comprise one or more of active RFID tags, passive RFID tags, unique identification tags, GPS-based identification components, ultra-wideband-based (UWB) identification components, and Wi-Fi-based identification components.

3. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to: perform spatial location for a set of the assets based on data in the common data format passing through the gateway; and provide a user interface including one of more of a geographic map and a location map illustrating a location of members of the set of assets.

4. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 wherein to perform spatial location for a set of the assets, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to provide, on the user interface, a location and a time at which a presence of the individual assets were detected through interrogation of the deployed sensor or tag associated with the respective asset.

5. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 wherein to execute a service framework for data delivery to and from the deployed sensors and tags, said media further comprises computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to: create an integrated unique identification (IUID) delivery session layer for delivery and control of components associated with unique identification devices; and create an active and passive radio frequency identification (RFID) delivery session layer for delivery and control of components associated with active and passive RFID devices.

6. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 wherein to provide a user interface, said media further comprises computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to: a first graphical user interface driven through a web-based portal and a series of web services; and a second graphical user interface including a GUI component that works through an external reverse proxy secure portal through a firewall.

7. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to transform data received in a native solution format to the common data format within an Extensible Markup Language (XML) framework.

8. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to: use multiple object class information to provide an initial identification and position of a physical asset associated with an identification device; associate identification component properties together for use by an event association manager; and provide an object model to establish identification components for report and user viewing of the events.

9. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to use security business objects implementing specific security settings within the logic and business rules therein to filter data based on the specific security settings.

10. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to implement a data policy controller function that applies security criteria to data to: filter out the portion of the data restricted to a requestor of the data; and allow only appropriate data to be routed into business object associations.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to implement a transaction history function at the tag data level.

12. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the at least one processor to: accept data access requests, perform queries on a database in response to a data access request, and return data access results in the form of domain objects; maintain a mapping of domain object attributes to a database table column; and manage connections to data sources.

13. A computer-based method for management, control, and distribution of automated identification technology (AIT) information and data associated with sensors and tags utilized for asset identification and tracking, said method comprising: generating, using a processing device, a gateway for at least one of read and write access to deployed sensors and tags associated with a set of assets, the sensors and tags incorporating a plurality of disparate native solution formats; providing data storage and management with hierarchical functionality in a common data format for information passing through the generated gateway, the information related to the assets as provided by the deployed identification sensors and tags; executing a service framework for data delivery to and from the deployed sensors and tags via a publish and subscribe middleware service layer that provides access to the gateway through a common middleware interface; and providing a user interface through which commands relating to the access of the stored data and writing of data to the deployed sensors through the common middleware interface are generated.

14. The computer-based method according to claim 13 wherein the deployed sensors and tags comprise one or more of active RFID tags, passive RFID tags, unique identification tags, GPS-based identification components, ultra-wideband-based (UWB) identification components, and Wi-Fi-based identification components.

15. The computer-based method according to claim 13 further comprising: performing spatial location for a set of the assets based on data in the common data format passing through the gateway; and providing a user interface including one of more of a geographic map and a location map illustrating a location of members of the set of assets.

16. The computer-based method according to claim 13 wherein performing spatial location for a set of the assets comprises providing, on the user interface, a location and a time at which a presence of the individual assets were detected through interrogation of the deployed sensor or tag associated with the respective asset.

17. The computer-based method according to claim 13 wherein executing a service framework for data delivery to and from the deployed sensors and tags further comprises: creating an integrated unique identification (IUID) delivery session layer for delivery and control of components associated with unique identification devices; and creating an active and passive radio frequency identification (RFID) delivery session layer for delivery and control of components associated with active and passive RFID devices.

18. The computer-based method according to claim 13 wherein providing a user interface comprises: providing a first graphical user interface driven through a web-based portal and a series of web services; and providing a second graphical user interface including a GUI component that works through an external reverse proxy secure portal through a firewall.

19. The computer-based method according to claim 13 further comprising transforming data received in a native solution format to a common data format within an Extensible Markup Language (XML) framework.

20. The computer-based method according to claim 13 further comprising: using multiple object class information to provide an initial identification and position of a physical asset associated with an identification device; associating identification component properties together for use by an event association manager; and providing an object model to establish identification components for report and user viewing of the events.

21. The computer-based method according to claim 13 further comprising: accepting data access requests, performing queries on a database in response to data access requests, and returning data access results in the form of domain objects; maintaining a mapping of domain object attributes to a database table column; and managing connections to data sources.